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In response to a Special Fraud Alert on PODs -- or physician-owned, revenue-producing distributorships -- issued by the Office of the Inspector General in March, the O&P Alliance has submitted a letter to the HHS inspector general. The alliance suggested that physician-owned orthotics and prosthetics labs should receive the same scrutiny as PODs that sell implantable medical devices, the focus of the alert. The O&P PODs "open the door to overutilization, potential suspect medical judgment, unfair competition, and increased costs," the alliance wrote in its letter.

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A report was released by the Senate Finance Committee recommending stricter transparency laws and hospital policies to address physician-owned distributorships that present a conflict of interest for doctor-owners and could increase federal health care costs and put patients' health at risk, according to committee Chairman Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. Matthew Wetzel, assistant general counsel for AdvaMed, said the report also provided a distinction between PODs and device makers that may involve physician ownership.

A concentrated mixture of white blood cells has demonstrated an ability to heal persistent wounds of patients suffering from diabetes or restricted blood flow. The treatment, called CureXcell, has a 70% success rate in closing the wounds of 5,000 patients to date, according to its developer, the Israeli company MacroCure. CureXcell is undergoing a Phase III trial in the United States, and the company hopes to have FDA approval by 2017.

Canadian health care company Orpyx Medical Technologies is planning to introduce a sensor system called SurroSense RX that will alert patients to an impending diabetic foot ulcer, allowing them to seek medical attention before it appears on the surface of the skin. Orpyx will display the product at the upcoming American Podiatric Medical Association's conference in Las Vegas.

Researchers at the University of Georgia's College of Pharmacy have successfully tested several anti-inflammatory compounds in mice that prevented weight gain and reduced the incidence of obesity-related conditions that can lead to type 2 diabetes. In one case, scientists injected mice with a plant pigment called rutin found in fruits and vegetables; in another, the mice were injected with interleukin 10. Both treatments controlled weight, reduced inflammation and prevented early signs of liver disease and diabetes.

The inspector general of HHS has been asked by a bipartisan group of five U.S. senators to conduct an inquiry into physician-owned distributorships, which serve as intermediaries between hospitals and medical device firms, to determine if they violate anti-kickback laws and other regulations. A Senate report says surgeons investing in PODs can get a commission for the sale of devices to hospitals. The senators have set an Aug. 12 deadline for the inspector general's preliminary report on the investigation.